


Sugar

by Ermerness



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Sugar Daddy Ben
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:21:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21759739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ermerness/pseuds/Ermerness
Summary: Ben likes spoiling Callum with clothes and gifts. Callum enjoys it... to an extent.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 2
Kudos: 115





	Sugar

It starts with the little things. An expensive meal here or there. The entrance fee to some fancy club in Soho Ben insists in visiting. Then one day Ben suggests a shopping trip as he's sick of seeing Callum in oversized shirts and trousers that don't show off his body. Callum huffs about it, not pleased to be forced into going shopping, but after Ben smiles at him a few times and rubs his thigh at breakfast in a way he really likes, he acquiesces. 

And that's how he finds himself in a large, brightly lit fitting room. 

Callum smooths the soft, crisp fabric of the cerulean blue fitted shirt he's trying on. Ben sits in the corner, legs crossed as his heated eyes take him in like he's a good meal. 

“You look really good,” Ben says, biting his lip for a brief moment. 

Callum hates being under scrutiny, even from his boyfriend, so his face warms as he looks at himself in the mirror, 

“It's too much,” Callum admits, knowing that the little paper price tag hanging against his back states a number he's no where near comfortable with.

“It ain't,” Ben says adamantly. “I'm buying, remember?”

Callum gives him an exhausted glare. He knows he won't win the fight as he's already had it in several other fitting rooms that same day. There's four shopping bags next to Ben on the floor with other clothing that Ben has already bought for him following Callum putting up a fight. Callum hates the feeling of being bought things like he's a charity but Ben is persuasive and very insistent that he can afford it. He keeps mentioning that the car lot is doing super well. 

That evening Ben takes him to the Prince Albert and insists Callum wears a new pair of jeans he'd got that day that hug his thighs and arse in a way that Callum feels is almost obscene. Ben spends the whole evening rubbing his hands along Callum's thick thighs and pushing his tongue into his mouth anytime another man so much as glances in Callum's direction. 

...

A few days later Ben notices him wrapping his old, scratchy scarf around his neck when they're out in the square together and the next day Callum's presented with a Burberry scarf that is almost as soft as silk. 

A week after that Ben is stripping Callum's old boxers off him in their bedroom and he notices Ben make a quick glance of thought as he dumps them on the floor. Two days later and Ben buys him some tight Tom Ford briefs that leave nothing to the imagination. Callum tries to put his foot down but then he's persuaded just to try them on. And Ben just can't get enough of him so his objections quickly die out. They don't leave the bedroom all day. 

Callum doesn't have the means to reciprocate and he knows Ben knows that and doesn't expect anything from him. So he does what he can and fucks Ben so hard the bed frame dents the wall and Ben walks around the next day with a blissed out expression on his face. 

Looking back, the problem, Callum admits, is that he lets him. And the more he allows Ben to buy him things, the more Ben does it. Callum always says he absolutely can't take whatever Ben has bought him as he can't reciprocate. Always shakes his head and says it's too much. Tells him he won't take it. But in the end he does because he is smitten with the way Ben lights up when Callum wears what he's bought him. He's never been the type of person who cared about nice things or even wanted them but he can't help but love being taken care of. No one has ever done it for him. He does, however, start to wonder whether the car lot can really be going that well. 

…

Whitney lets out a low wolf whistle as Callum comes up to her stall to say hello. 

Callum frowns in confusion. “What?”

Whitney leans forward and runs a finger a long the soft material of his new wool duffel coat and then reaches up to touch his scarf. “You win the lottery or something?”

“What dya mean?” Callum asks, his cheeks reddening. 

“I know my labels and I know my fakes. None of this is fake. Good thing common criminals don't know their Gucci from their Burberry or you'd be mugged already,” Whitney says with a small laugh. Callum feels a ball of discomfort in his stomach as he slouches slightly, trying to make himself look smaller. 

“Just, ya know, thought I'd try harder or something,” Callum mumbles, feeling self conscious as Whitney runs a hand down his coat again with obvious envy in her eyes. 

Whitney narrows her eyes. “I know you ain't got this kind of dosh. But I know someone who does with all his dodgy deals and businesses,” Whitney comments, raising an eyebrow. 

Callum looks down at his shoes. “He just likes buying me stuff or something. I don't get it, it's embarrassing.”

Whitney barks out a laugh. “God, I would love a sugar daddy. Callum, you're one of the sweetest people I know and you deserve nice stuff. If Ben wants to buy you expensive clothes, I say grin and take it. And if you don't – give me anything you don't want and I can sell it to fund my next holiday,” Whitney says with a wink. 

Callum chuckles softly and gives her a kiss on the cheek goodbye. 

…

“Why you wearing that?” Ben asks critically as Callum shrugs on his old coat in the kitchen, about to head to work. 

“Wearing what?” Callum asks innocently, not meeting Ben's eyes. He tries not to notice how his old coat isn't as warm or as well fitting as the new one that's sitting in their bedroom. 

“Your old coat that looks like something you'd pick up at a car boot sale.” 

“Oh, thought I'd wear this today,” Callum says casually, still not meeting Ben's eyes. 

“I thought you'd chucked that. You should have. Why don't you wanna wear that coat I got ya?”

“I love it, I do, but I don't wanna draw attention to myself.”

Ben eyes him. “Tell me what's wrong, baby,” Ben says softly in a tone of voice that Callum can't resist. Ben steps into Callum's space and slides his arms around his waist, looking up at him through his eyelashes. 

Callum finally meets his eyes and blushes. “I think people have been noticing that I'm wearing nicer stuff lately.”

“So? Let people notice. You're a hot piece of arse, Callum, and you deserve to wear clothes that flatter you. And I deserve to have a boyfriend that people want,” Ben says with a smirk. “Go and get the coat.” Callum sighs as he heads for the bedroom, taking off his old coat on the way. 

…

Callum makes peace with the nice clothes and scarves and even his soft leather gloves but then he accidentally breaks his watch. He only mentions it once when he grumbles to Ben about it over their evening meal. Ben just makes a sympathetic noise and their conversation swiftly moves on. 

He wakes up a week later to an empty bed, his hand running over where Ben usually is. In Ben's place is a small, but heavy box wrapped in light blue wrapping paper and ribbon. He slowly holds the box in his hand, a bubble of nerves settling uncomfortably in this stomach, and slowly takes apart the packaging. He pulls off the top of the box and he sees exactly what he didn't want to see. It's a beautiful black Rolex watch that looks like it cost more than his yearly rent. He places it back down and puts one hand on his forehead, suddenly feeling a headache come on. 

He gets dressed quickly and slips the box into his bag as he heads straight over to the car lot where he finds Ben hunched over his desk, scribbling something down. 

Callum slams the door closed behind him as he walks in causing Ben's head to whip up and stare. 

“Babe?” Ben asks with a frown as he takes in Callum's stony expression. 

Callum walks up to the desk, slams the box down on it and takes a step back. “No, thank you.”

Ben's eyebrows jump in surprise. “You don't like it?”

“Its beautiful but I don't want it. You need stop this.”

Ben stands up slowly and puts his hands up in surrender. “OK, OK, relax. I know why you're angry and I promise you – it ain't stolen or fake or anything like that. I got it from a legit source and even got it engraved.”

Callum blinks. “You think I'm angry because I thought it was stolen? I know you wouldn't give me stolen goods... again. I'm angry cos you keep buying me stuff.”

Ben's face slips into annoyance, clearly offended. “How does me buying my boyfriend presents make me a monster? I love you, I want to show it.” He quickly takes off the box's lid and pulls the watch out, turning it over and showing Callum. It's engraved simply as 'Always yours, Ben x.'

Callum feels his anger slipping as he gently takes the watch from Ben, running a finger gently over the engraving. “Couldn't you have gotten me a watch from Argos?”

Ben lets out a small laugh. “I just want you to know that I love ya and figured a nice watch is one step towards a ring one day.” Ben shrugs, eyes suddenly finding something interesting on the floor, avoiding Callum's eyes which soften immediately. 

“Why dya make it so difficult to be angry at ya?” Callum asks, slipping the watch gently onto his own wrist and fastening it a little reluctantly. 

“My charm?” Ben asks, waggling his eyebrows as he meets Callum's eyes. 

Callum rolls his eyes and turns toward the door but instead of going through it, he clicks the lock into place. Callum turns back around to face Ben, eyes dark and heated. 

“Take your trousers and boxers off and sit down,” Callum orders. Ben slowly grins and wastes no time as he fumbles for his zipper as Callum slowly gets onto his knees in front of him. 

…

“I have to ask.,” Callum starts after he's pulled away from a rather sloppy make out session with Ben on their couch. “And I don't want to. I've made a point not to this whole time. But I need to know – where is all the money coming from for the stuff you buy me? And don't say the car lot because I know it can't be doing that well.”

Ben sits back, his lips still slightly swollen from their activities. “Savings,” Ben says simply like that's the end of it. He leans back in, wrapping a hand around Callum's neck and trying to draw their mouths together again. 

Callum holds back, refusing to be pulled in. “Ben. I mean it. Where is it from?”

Ben scratches his chin, eyes looking over Callum's shoulder. “Some of it is just money from businesses I have stakes in and some of it is from... other places. Don't worry – there's no paper trail so you don't need to worry.”

Callum's jaw tightens and he sits even further back, putting distance between them. “You need to stop then. I don't want anything more from you. I don't need things or presents to want to be with you. I just want you and I certainly don't want you doing shady jobs to fund my clothing, yeah?”

“I'll consider it,” Ben says in a way that suggests no way in hell is he going to stop buying things for his boyfriend. 

“Ben,” Callum says, warning heavy in his tone. “I will eBay everything if you don't stop.”

“You wouldn't. You love all the stuff I've got you and only pervs would want your worn underwear.”

Callum tries a different tack. “One evening, when you're working, I'll pop along to the Prince Albert in those tight jeans you got me and hang out at the bar. Alone.”

Ben's eyes widen. “You wouldn't dare. Your baby gay arse wouldn't last five seconds with all those twinks hitting on you.”

Callum raises an eyebrow. “Care to test that theory?” 

Ben grits his teeth, clearly annoyed. “I'll cut back, alright? I'll keep presents to a minimum.”

“Promise?”

Ben nods, looking contrite. 

“Good, now come here,” Callum says. Ben doesn't need another second and crawls onto his lap, thighs on either side of Callum's and leans back in. 

…

Things slowly get better. Fewer gifts are forthcoming and even though he gets the odd comment, often from Lola about how amazing he must be in bed, he gets better at ignoring them. He likes wearing good, well fitting clothes that cling well to his form and he really likes the way Ben eyes him up constantly. 

For a while Ben only gets him small token presents, avoiding big luxury items that would result in a fight, until the day Ben gets down on bended knee in front of him and Callum grins, heart full with love and joy, as he says yes and lets Ben slip a very expensive platinum ring on his finger. 

Callum discovers that the number of gifts Ben got him when he was his boyfriend is nothing compared to how many he gets as his husband.

**Author's Note:**

> Just thought I'd post this before I go on my hols. Hope someone enjoys!


End file.
